The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority, through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry Property, based on a patent application filed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) with the filing date of Feb. 16, 2002, with the application number UTILITY-2002-0004644, by the applicant (See the Attached Declaration).
The present invention relates to a decorative sticker sheet. More particularly, the invention relates to a decorative sticker sheet that can be used for both oil-based ink printing and aqueous ink printing.
Generally, a sticker sheet is a printed sheet on one side of which is printed a certain pattern, and on the other side of which is applied an adhesive so that it can be stuck to a glass pane of an automobile or a showcase. The sticker sheet is backed by a lining sheet and the sticker can be easily separated from the lining sheet. The sticker sheet is made from soft synthetic resin, and various patterns including characters, geometrical shapes, and letters are printed on the sticker sheet. The sticker sheet is used mainly for advertisement or decoration. Printing of patterns on the sticker sheet is usually performed by offset printing or gravier printing.
A decorative sticker by prior art, which has been widely used, is briefly explained. Adhesive is applied on a lining sheet by silk screen method, and plastisol ink is applied by silk screen method on the adhesive. Then they are heated so that the ink is made into a film of soft plastisol layer. Then a pattern layer is made by applying pigments on the plastisol layer, and the pattern layer is coated with a coating material. The final product is made by silk screening a design on the sticker sheet prepared by the above processes.
Disadvantages of this sticker sheet are that: manufacturing cost is high since the sheet involves several printing processes in addition to making the sticker sheet itself; and since a fixed design should be uniformly printed, it cannot satisfy all of the colors and designs that the users want. If it is required to print various shapes on the sticker sheet, the manufacturing cost becomes higher because a same design is not produced in a mass production scale.
In the past, ceramic tiles were widely used to interior decoration. Since ceramic tiles were difficult to work with, and designs of ceramic tiles were too simple, sticker sheets replaced ceramic tiles. Thus sticker sheets have been used to decorate floors and walls.
Such sticker sheets explained above are made by constructing an adhesive layer on a lining paper, and heat bonding a PVC sheet, on which a design is printed, on the adhesive layer. The sticker sheet is easily separated from the surface on which the sticker sheet is stuck when a long time has passed after sticking the sticker sheet because the strength of the surface of the sheet is different from that of the adhesive layer. Also the wall is contaminated because part of the adhesive layer is not peeled from the surface, when the sticker sheet is separated.
Korean utility model registration number 0134305 by the inventor, which was published as Korean utility model laid-open publication number U1997-059600 on Nov. 10, 1997, discloses a rubber resin decorative sticker sheet that overcomes a disadvantage of a sticker by prior art. The prior art sticker is made by a process in which an adhesive layer is constructed on a lining paper, and a soft PVC sheet layer is constructed from a mixture of PVC and DOP, and then a design is printed on the surface of the PVC layer. However, the printed layer of the sticker also is easily bleached and worn out, and when the sticker is removed and disposed, the sticker becomes a pollutant since it is not decomposed. The sticker by the applicant""s utility model solves the wear and pollution problems. The utility model discloses a film layer made from a rubber resin, and a printed layer in which a design is printed. The printed layer is positioned at the center of the film layer, and the surface of the printed layer is embossed. This sticker has shock absorbing and anti-skidding functions. This sticker is also biodegradable. However, the sticker of the utility model has a disadvantage that only screen printing method can be used for the sticker.
To overcome this disadvantage, Korean patent application number 2000-0023075 filed on Apr. 29, 2000, by the inventor, which was published as Korean patent laid-open publication number 2001-0098252 on Nov. 8, 2001, discloses a sticker for computer printers and manufacturing method for the sticker. In the publication, a soft white plastisol layer is formed on a temporary lining paper that is coated with a coating agent by applying white plastisol; a transparent plastisol layer is formed on the white plastisol layer by applying transparent plastisol; adhesive is applied on the transparent plastisol layer; a lining paper that is coated with a coating agent is applied on the adhesive; then they are bonded by pressing with rollers; the temporary lining paper is separated from the white plastisol layer; and a polymer coating material is coated and dried on the white plastisol layer. By this process, a smooth finish of the printed surface is achieved, and a sticker sheet for printing can be easily manufactured. Designs or photograph images according to the customer""s interest may be printed on the sticker sheet manufactured by the process, and even if such sticker sheets are manufactured by small amounts, the unit price of products is not increased. However, a disadvantage that color was lost under ultraviolet light, etc. was found. Also, although screen printing or printing by an ink jet printer was possible, it was not possible to use offset printing, and thus it did not apply various printing methods.
The present invention contrives to solve the problems of the prior art as explained above. Therefore an object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that is suitable for mass production at a low cost and by a convenient method.
Another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that is suitable for printing various designs.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that can be used for remodeling a kitchen or a bathroom where tiles are used.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that has good color fastness against ultraviolet light.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that can be made by small numbers at low cost so that samples for advertising may be made at low cost.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that is biodegradable.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a decorative sticker sheet that has improved coating layers or new layers to provide above functionalities.
To achieve the above-described objects, the invention provides a decorative sticker sheet comprising a lining paper, an adhesive layer formed on the lining paper, a transparent plastisol layer formed on the adhesive layer, a white plastisol layer formed on the transparent plastisol layer, and an ink absorption layer formed on the white plastisol layer. The white plastisol layer and the ink absorption layer may be combined into a single layer.
The lining paper is formed by coating silicon resin on a paper and heat-treating at a temperature range from about 160 degree Celsius to about 180 degree Celsius.
The adhesive layer is formed by silk screening acrylic aqueous adhesive.
The transparent plastisol layer is formed by silk screening transparent plastisol ink and heat treating. The heat treating is done at a temperature range from about 150 degree Celsius to about 180 degree Celsius. The transparent plastisol ink comprises polyvinyl choloride and plasticizer. The ink may further comprise binder and starch.
The white plastisol layer is formed by silk screening white plastisol ink, and heat treating. The white plastisol ink comprises white pigments, polyvinyl choloride and plasticizer. The white plastisol ink may further comprise binder and starch.
The ink absorption layer is formed by coating surface active agent. Alternatively, the ink absorption layer is formed by applying mixture of white plastisol, binder, starch and surface active agent. The decorative sticker sheet having the above-described construction may be sold and used for inkjet printing or making sample sticker sheets of numerous designs by consumers or printing companies.
The decorative sticker sheet may further comprise a print layer in which a design is printed on the ink absorption layer, and a protective coating layer formed on the print layer.
The protective coating layer comprises a UV-resistant coating or a plastisol coating.
The print layer may comprise a photosensitive ink layer. The photosensitive ink layer is formed by applying photosensitive ink, which is made from a mixture of transparent resin and photosensitive pigments. The print layer may also comprise a temperature-sensitive ink layer. The temperature-sensitive ink layer is formed by applying temperature-sensitive ink, which is made from a mixture of transparent resin and temperature-sensitive pigments.
The print layer may also comprise a fragrant agent layer.
The decorative sticker sheet may further comprise a glassy particle layer. The glassy particle layer is formed on the protective coating layer, and the glassy particle layer is formed by applying a mixture of transparent resin and glass particles. Preferably, the size of the glass particles is less than about 200 meshes.
The advantageous effects of the present invention are numerous in that: (1) the sticker sheet may be used for both aqueous ink printing and oil-based ink printing; (2) specifically, the sticker sheet may be used for ink-jet printing as well as offset printing; (3) sticker sheets having various designs can be manufactured at low cost; (4) the sticker sheet is durable and resistant to ultraviolet light; (5) the sticker sheet has luxurious appearance and touch; (6) the sticker sheet can simulate ceramic tiles and can be applied on floors, walls and furniture.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.